good morning. nature's fury. the death toll rises to seven in the devastating tennessee wildfires, as new tornadoes rip through the south overnight. now, more than 30 days. breaking overnight. a police officer shot called to a home in washington state. the suspect barricade inside a home for hours. victory lap. president-elect trump, kicking off his thank you tour, in indiana and ohio. as his top cabinet picks get called out for bailouts and wall street. and lit. >> three, two, one.

does not stop the lighting of the world's most famous christmas tree in a star-studded and soaked celebration. rockefeller center shining bright. and the tree does not need watering today, thursday, december 1st, 2016. from nbc news, this is "today," with matt lauer and savannah guthrie. live from studio 1a in rockefeller welcome to "today." it's a thursday morning. now, we can celebrate. we got this gorgeous tree. it's all lit up. we got willie. you're just a lilt shorter than the tree. >> and you're still out here from last night. i won the coin toss. matt had to be out here in the rain last night. i get to be here now. it looked like fun. >> it was a beautiful night. we had a great crowd.

we'll have more on the tree-lighting. we want to start with destructive weather in the south. and in tennessee, the wildfires rages on. >> kerry sanders is in gatlin, tennessee. good morning. >> good morning, willie. a good portion of gatlinburg is in evacuation. there's fires burning here. if there's any good news, it's that there's little wind and the authorities don't think it will spread much beyond where it is right threat remains. this morning, search and rescue efforts are under way. first responders in tennessee, still watching a few hot spots in the aftermath of raging wildfires. heavy rain was good and bad. the downside, mud and rockslides. this morning, more than 17,000 acres in the smokey mountains

destroyed. firefighters said they did what they do on the blaze. this was on the johnson firefighters page. the caption, as close as we got to see sleep in 36 hours. drought and hurricane-force winds combine to create a firestorm. this morning, there are at least seven dead. and the number of people still missing, more than six. john and janet summers from memphis were gatlinburg with three sons. the sons are in the burn unit. their parents, not seen in three days. and michael reid is waiting to see if the bodies found wednesday are those of his missing wife, constance, and two daughters, 12-year-old chloe and 9-year-old lily. >> i don't know what to say about my 9-year-old. jeremy and jeffrey lost their home in the blaze.

the daughter keeps asking where her friend is. >> we pray. she's been praying for her also. she'll ask about lily. well, they haven't found her yet, honey. >> reporter: the morgans' family home burned to the ground. but like so many here, they're resolute to move on. >> we're rebuilding. we're not moving. this did not scare us away. we love this place and this is where we want to be. >> reporter: as firefighters try this morning, here in town, there's the dollywood theme park. dolly parton has started a fund. it's called the my people fund. saying, in part, she wants to provide a hand up to those families who have lost everything. those families and others who had hoped to come back into the city have a much better understanding this morning of why they will be delayed getting

properties fared. willie? >> staggering pictures behind you, kerry. thank you so much. the storms that produced the storms in tennessee, produced tornadoes across the region. three people were killed. and one tore through rosily, alabama. that's where jacob rascon is for us this morning. good morning. >> reporter: the governor of alabama will be out later today. he will energy. store after store, just demolished. the national weather service surveyed this area and said it was an ef-2 tornado that came through here and was on the ground for less than two minutes. severe weather pummeling the south yet again. >> the people behind me had a trampoline. it's 20 feet up in a tree. >> reporter: lightning, torrential rain, and a possible tornado in south carolina, after a deadly outbreak of twisters throughout the region.

kaboom, everything hit. >> reporter: james benson and his family barely escaping after a tornado ravaged their home. >> scared. i'll be okay. >> reporter: in tennessee, another twister. the young family salvaging keepsakes, losing almost everything. >> i screamed at my husband saying, there's a tornado coming. there's a tornado coming. get the kids. grab the >> reporter: more than 30 concern tornadoes in 6 states. in georgia, high school students sang christmas songs after a tornado warning forced them to take shelter in the hallway. one of many close calls in the first deadly tornado outbreak in this country since may. so, just this morning the national weather service has confirmed there were 34

in fact, 7 states. the national weather service will be out later this morning, as will dozens of families, digging through what's left. and the city of bloomingdale, tennessee, has confirmed that the two people who died in that state, were a volunteer firefighter and his wife. willie? savannah? >> severe stretching up so much of the south. jacob in rosily, alabama. thank you, jacob. we move to politics. as president-electal he's kicking off a post-election thank you tour. he has a stop in cincinnati. and first, he makes a stop in indiana, to tout a deal that keeps about 1,000 jobs. kristen well keker, is in india this morning. >> reporter: hi, savannah. president-elect donald trump will be touting his first big

jobs from carrier a.c. from leaving the country. the entire day will have crowds reminiscent of the ones that helped him win the white house. donald trump tried to show, as president-elect, he can put the art of the deal into practice. >> we're bringing jobs back to our country. we're not going to let carrier leave. >> reporter: mr. trump making good on that promise. convincing carrier not to follow through to move its indianapolis plant to next coe. manufacture gas furnaces at home, preserving more than 1,000 jobs. trump tweeting, we will keep our companies and jobs in the u.s. while few details have been released by the deal. sources close to the negotiations, say carrier will receive tax breaks from the state, where mike pence is governor. carrier acknowledging, the incentives offered by the state were an important consideration. >> drain the swamp. >> reporter: meanwhile, there is

of trump's top promises, draining the washington swamp, after mr. trump named billionaire wilber ross as his secretary. and steve minucian as his secretary. >> he is handing the keys of the treasury to a wall street banker who helped cause the crash. >> transition officials are pushing back. >> both fit the outsider bill, that they never worked in washington. >> reporter: all this comes as the drama of secretary of state intensifies. the transition team, says the president-elect has nor narrowed his pick down to four choices, including mitt romney, and rudy juligiuliani giuliani, campaigning for the role. trump officials not tipping their hands about the other two contenders. but john kelly may be in the

wednesday. mike pence held high-level meetings of his own, including with former secretary of state condoleezza rice. and trump tweeted about the carrier deal late last night. here's what he said. he said, look forward to going to indiana to be with the great workers of carrier. they will sell many air conditioners. all of this comes as president-elect trump has vowed to separate himself yesterday from his vast business empire. but still has given no about how specifically he plans to do that. he's going to cap his day in cincinnati, ohio, thanking all of his supporters in that critical swing state. willie? savannah? >> kristin welker, thank you. in washington state, a officer was shot and killed. the suspect is dead, following an hours-long standoff.

department there's a memorial that's been growing since last night. since the officer was shot and killed, responding to a domestic violence call wednesday afternoon. but the situation has come to a dramatic conclusion recently. a 12-hour standoff ends with two children being rescued from a house. and the suspect, as you mentioned, shot and killed. this happened and started around 4:00 yesterday afternoon. tacoma police responding to a domestic violence call. the officer went we're told by witnesses, and shots were fired. soon, there was a standoff that ensued. meanwhile, the officer was taken, fatally injured to a local hospital. there was an emotional scene from the streets here, as the honor guard guided him from the hospital to the medical examiner's office. they had the s.w.a.t. situation lasting for roughly 12 hours. four officers were shot close to here years ago.

them given the circumstances. back to you. >> terrible story for that town. john, thank you. in the meantime, there's new anger and outrage over a fatal police shooting in charlotte, north carolina. demonstrators took to the streets after prosecutors announced the officer involved will not face criminal charges. gabe gutierrez has the latest on this story. hi, gabe. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. police were on heightened alert here after that decision was announced. there were four arrests a district attorney saying that the gun at the shooting scene was cocked and loaded. and this story was much different than what it originally played out on social media. overnight, a small, peaceful process, in charlotte, slamming the district attorney's decision not to charge officer vincent, in the shooting of scott. >> this is a blow to our justice

after this video stunned the nation. >> don't shoot him. don't shoot him. >> there's a huge gap between the police and the community. that's where we are here. >> reporter: right after the shooting, violence in the streets and questions about whether scott was armed. police say they were trying to serve a warrant to a different man at an apartment complex when they saw scott with a gun and marijuana. >> it's my opinion that officer vincent acted lawfully when he shot mr. scott. >> drop the gun. >> he doesn't h >> reporter: initially, witnesses claim scott was holding a book instead of a gun. but state investigators say that wasn't true. and he ignored commands to drop the weapon. >> don't shoot him. did you shoot him? did you shoot him? he better not be [ bleep ] dead. i know [ bleep ] that much. >> reporter: the officer releasing new surveillance video

consistent with the hollister and gun that was described by officers at the scene. >> reporter: but scott's family says there's no proof there was a gun in his hand. >> whether he had a firearm in his hand or not. that's not the key question, in terms of determining whether or not keith scott should have lost his life. >> reporter: attorneys for the scott family say they are planning to file a civil lawsuit but are urging anymore protests to remain peaceful. willie and >> gabe, thank you. we're learning about the final moments of that doomed flight, carrying members of a brazilian soccer team that crashed in colombia. here's nbc's keir simmons. >> reporter: all dressed in white, thousands pack the stadium in colombia, for a brazilian team that were set to play wednesday night. thousands more in the streets outside. in brazil, another memorial, at the home field.

>> i don't have words. >> reporter: making you cry. >> yeah. it makes me cry all day. >> reporter: aviation officials believe the plane ran out of fuel. and a stunning recording obtained by the associated press, between the control tower and the pilot. we are asking for priority in our approach. we have a full problem. the controller tells the pilot, he can start to approach in seven minutes. again asks to land. but is told, there is an aircraft below. she asks, how much time do you have to stay put? fuel energy, the pilot responds. i'm asking for immediate descent. a short time later, the pilot says the plane is in total electric failure and out of fuel. the aircraft slams into a hill short of the airport. this first responder says there were bodies everywhere and

pointing to the tail of the plane, visible at the top of the hill. that's where the survivors were found. only six survived. among them, the stand-by goalie remains unconscious. his doctor, hopeful. >> he is a young patient. and also, he's very athletic person. >> reporter: most of his teammates are gone. last night, a balloon released for everyone of the 71 who died. >> that was colombia. now, new research that suggests hallucinogenic mushrooms may be beneficial for cancer patients. 80% of cancer patients who were given a dose of magic mushrooms had minimal side effects. in many cases, the benefit lasted for months. the substance has been illegal

research. the studies are published in "the journal of psycho pharmacology." >> i hope it helps a lot of people. mr. roker? >> i'm going to the weather map. that's where we're talking about santa ana winds, possibly. this is a cold santa ana wind. we have high pressure dominating. the high pressure going to build into the great basin. we have high wind warnings, million people. a wind gust of 60 to 70 miles per hour, from shaver lake all the way to parts of colorado. i should say, arizona. also looking at the december outlook. out west, much cooler than average for december. we're looking at near-average for much of the country. warmer in the northeast. it's looking wet in the east, especially as you get to parts

>> wren: we've seen some showers early this morning, but as we head into the mid-morning hours, we're looking at dry skis and even some sunshine throughout your thursday forecast. temperatures well above average in the mid to upper 50s, but when you factor in these winds, it will feel cooler, as well. but as you head into tonight, really we couldn't hope for a better forecast for the boston common tree lighting. temperatures in the upper 40s, breezy conditions and dry skies. to start, temperatures above our average highs this time of year.

>> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you. coming up, a mysterious message branded into the skin of the california mother who survived a brutal kidnapping ordeal. we'll have the latest, as her husband is speaking out in an emotional interview. and on "rossen reports," new technology to keep your kids safe. the app you can download to track every call and i want t hout blowing our budget. oh yeah, this is great! everything for the holidays.

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pull smoked chicken, bake fresh foccacia and hand-slice avocado. there's nothing "or something" about it. >> this is 7news now. >> kris: good morning. it's almost 7:30. the good news is that rain is moving on out. let's get over the wren clair in

>> wren: it certainly is moving on out. we'll see breezy condition, gusting up to around 25mph. sustain winds up to is 15, 20mph especially across the cape. take a will be at these showers. you can see these are tuning further to our northeast. we're drying out. already seeing some breaks in cloud cover especially the our southwest. not a bad day at all. temperatures well above our average highs in the mid to upper 50s. >> kris: office centers brockton are searching for two people that led them on an early morning chase. the suspect crashed enter a cruiser, an officer suffered minor injuries. investigators say the driver and the passenger then ran away. k-9 units are searching that area trying the find those suspects. pretrial hearing will be held today in the case against the plainville teenager accused of encouraging her friend to commit suicide. michelle carter is charged with involuntary manslaughter. a judge recently ruled carter's statements to investigators and information from her cell phone

? good morning, everybody. it's 7:30, thursday morning, december 1st, 2016. that's how we start the month of december. we light the christmas tree. it's 25 days until christmas. we have plaza. nice and warm this morning. get outside and visit us. >> a balmy start to december. inside studio 1a, a check of the headlines. the toll from the raging wild fires from tennessee is growing. seven people have died and 700 buildings have been damaged or destroyed around gatlinburg. the recount of presidential ballots begins today.

donald trump won wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes but is expected to emerge the winner after the recount. the president-elect is headed to indiana and ohio state, to kick off what they're calling a thank you victory tour. and golf's biggest star is making his return today tiger woods will be playing in the hero world champion. it's his first following two back suie and this weekend on nbc. this hour, we start with a kidnapping of a california mother. gadi schwartz has been following this for us this morning. >> reporter: this morning, we have new details of the two women who kidnapped sherry. and we have new questions about the motivation behind the horrific crime.

sherri was found chained and beaten on the side of this northern california road, authorities released new clues about the two women suspected of abducting her at gunpoint near her home. >> both of the suspects spoke spanish during the time of her captivity. both of the suspects concealed their faces to side their identities from here. was able to provide basic details about her kidnappers. one woman was younger, with long, curly hair, pierced ears and thin eyebrows. the other was older with graying black hair and thick eyebrows. she was telling "people" magazine, she was badly beaten, her hair chopped off and branded by captors. >> she was bound. she had a metal -- a chain around her waist.

that is correct. her left hand was in the vehicle, chained to something. >> reporter: still unknown, say investigators, the motive for her kidnapping. is there any indication this is cartel-related or possibly sex trafficking? >> we don't have specific information. >> this is where we believe sherri was taken from. >> reporter: but bill garcia has his suspicions. he worked with the family during her disappearance but isn't involved with the sheriff's investigation. as aet trafficking cases, she believes that hers has the telltale signs. >> the beatings, the broken nose, the cut hair, especially the chains and the branding, indicate that it was most likely one of these sex trafficking groups. >> reporter: detectives are now working with a sketch artist as they prepare her case to several others in other states. her path to healing just

side. she told investigators that the two women who took her were driving a dark suv. so, investigators have been showing her surveillance video of the area she was abducted. but so far, she has been unable to identify that specific vehicle. matt and willie? back to you. >> thank you, gadi, so much. let's look at the weather from al. >> we're looking ahead to the weekend and a fairly big rain i vent that will be taking place. starting off in texas. it will move into the mississippi river valley. i'm concerned that it's going to be raining heavily in parts of tennessee, where they had the wildfires. and there's a burn scars that could cause flooding. showers are with wet snow in parts of the northeast, as we go to sunday. look at the rainfall amounts, where with all of the gulf moisture. with three to five inches of rain through monday, in houston,

>> wren: we've seen some showers early this morning, but as we head into the mid-morning hours, we're looking at dry skis and even some sunshine throughout your thursday forecast. temperatures well above average in the mid to upper 50s, but when you factor in these winds, it will feel cooler, as well. but as you head into tonight, really we couldn't hope for a better forecast for the boston common tree lighting. temperatures in the upper 40s, breezy conditions and dry skies. to start, temperatures above our average highs this time of year. get outside and enjoy this m >> and get that weather anytime you need it. check out the weather channel on cable. >> thank you, al. still ahead, music and british royalty. the event that had rihanna and prince harry all smiles. i'm jeff rossen. coming up, our kids are always on their phones, right? we have no idea what they're up to. until now. we tell you about the three apps

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we're back at 7:40 this morning. and "rossen report" how to keep your kids safe when they're glued to their phones. >> reporter: good morning. we want to keep our kids safe, especially when they get to that age when they can't seem to put their phones down. most of the time, we have no clue what they're doing, what they're typi changes. we're about to show you lee apps you can download, on your kids' phones to monitor all of their activity. quick and easy. your kids are leading secret lives. on their phones. but now, secret's out. three smartphone apps designed to help you monitor not just your child's web hisser to, but every text, every phone call,

perfect for this family. >> what about you? >> reporter: and their two teenage kids. >> yeah. yeah. >> reporter: they're always on their phones. today, we're about to show mom some new tricks. we've downloaded the apps on your kids' phones. we can monitor everything they're doing. >> okay. >> reporter: first up, net nanny. this app allows you to control your kids' internet activity remotely. you can choose the your kids' phones. >> that's great. awesome. >> reporter: it goes a step further. you can block the type of websites. dating sites, newty, pornography, tobacco. >> helpful, yeah. >> reporter: suicide, for example. you can set it to warn mode, so you will get a warning if your kid types suicide in. >> that's helpful because of the cyber bullying, everything that happens in a teen's life that's

more. called secure teen. this one gives your kids' call logs. you know who your kids are calling and who is calling your kids. you can actually read your kids' text messages. >> that's fantastic. >> as scary as that might be. >> reporter: we have your daughter's called up here. >> come over, her friend. and her friend says i have a cheer scavenger hunt. the most advanced of all. called teen safe. not only tracking text messages and calls. but it pinpoints your child's exact gps location, instantly. your son is a driving age. and any mom who has a kid who drives -- >> a nightmare. >> reporter: this app gives you the coordinates of where he is any given time where he is. >> that is awesome. i see him there. >> reporter: and the app is right. we actually have a camera with

parking lot. here's the coolest thing of all. we worry about texting and driving. >> absolutely. i tell my kids all the time, don't text and drive. >> reporter: if you think he could and you don't want him to have the option -- >> absolutely. >> reporter: click on the teen safe app. you see the pause button? his phone is frozen. >> my phone is locked. i can't do anything. i can't text. >> for a parent, this is fantastic. >> reporter: you'll use this? >> you but you'll use it. >> yes. yes. >> reporter: he will be safe, though. >> that's the most important. >> reporter: i made an enemy of every teenager in america right now. some of you are watching this saying, i'm downloading thes. a or you're saying, this goes too far. we have to trust our kids. this invades our privacy. it's a great debate to have in your home with your kids today. now, you know what you can do. >> we're too early with the kids on the phones.

corner. the personal safety aspect for it, with the suicide mention. that's something i would want to know as a parent. >> it's an interesting discussion to have. >> you were asking if you can download it secretly for your kids. >> well. first of all, my baby is 2. i'm curious. do the teens know this is on their phone? >> they know it's there. if they disable it, you know that, too. >> you are making me look terrible. >> sorry. >> what is vail up to? you have any idea of what they're talking about? a group of teenagers will tell you what the slang words actually mean. we're happy to have carson back. he's going to put a wrap on the no shave today campaign. no shave today campaign. and carson is not no shave today campaign. and carson is not the first person to survive alzheimer's disease is out there. and the alzheimer's association is going to make it happen by funding scientific breakthroughs,

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carson, you're holding on to your facial hair. we shave on december 1st. i don't know where the share is. >> carson is not pleased. >> let's go back to november. all to raise awareness for men's health. for 30 days, we've been tracking the progress of our own facial hair, and you the viewers, online. using and the month of scruffyness has paid off. 21 countries participated in the movember campaign. bringing in $40 million. in the u.s., $10.8 million of that. bringing the grand total to over $750 million. the majority of that money goes to funding men's health programs. online, we saw people get creative with their hair. groups coming together to

ways to take part, great shot there. and of course, you can go to today.com to learn how you can keep supporting men's health, long after the month of november is gone. and i swear, i thought i would walk in today, i thought there would be a chair. i've been waiting for 30 days to get this small animal off my face. and i walk in, clean faces everywhere. >> you got your goatee. >> are you going to keep yours? >> i'm going to keep it for a little while. >> now, out of protest, i >> smith brothers. >> continue. >> full zz top. >> the shave we normally do is so great. i was looking forward to today. and nothing. >> no shave. and it's not behind that door. there's no shaving guy coming. >> i think carson needs a hug. >> i'll always take a hug from uncle al. >> that beautiful tree. >> breaking news, our producer says he will do it for you tomorrow, carson. >> hang on another day.

rub. >> and a foot massage. >> i'll shower tonight and be ready. >> and a back shave, incidentally. >> i'm good. kelly clarkson. >> coming up, the unusual -- tipsy drivers from getting behind the wheel. and our holiday toy guide with our favorites. when we were younger and the modern versions your kids will love. and jill hi, i'm paul th verizon. not anymore. i switched to sprint because their network reliability is now within 1% of verizon. and they save you 50% on most current at&t, t-mobile, and verizon rates. why is this one twice as much? this one right here has 1% more needles. why pay twice as much for only a 1% difference? we'll take this one. can you hear that? (vo) don't let a 1% difference cost you twice as much. happy holidays to you and your family. for people with hearing loss, switch to sprint today. visit sprintrelay.com

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>> this is 7news now. >> kris: good morning. we're a few minutes away from 8:00. i think that may be the sun starting to peek through. great sign after a few days of rain. >> wren: aides fly his is fast-moving system. it will continue to push further no our northeast. as it does, so we have we havier wather coming in from the west. gusts up to around 25mph. temperatures will feel pretty moderate, but when you add in those winds, light jackets still a good idea. we're drying out here this moshing with more sunshine on if way. >> kris: to our day's top stories. a man accused of killing his own mother will face a judge this morning. police say this 18-year-old stabbed her to death inside of their home on merritt avenue

down until police arrived. pretrial hearing will be held today in the case against the plainville teen accused of encouraging her friend to commit suicide. michelle carter is charged with involuntary manslaughter. a judge recently ruled that carter's statements to investigators and information from her cell phone can indeed be used in court. we're back in another 25 minutes with an outdate for you.

? it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, under assault. a new string of tornadoes sweeps across the south. >> 30 seconds later, kaboom. everything hit. >> as the region tries to there's in more than a century. and residents return to pick up the pieces. plus, teen talk. >> girl, you're straight poppin'. >> she ratchet. >> we get the lowdown on the latest slang echoing through school hallways. what do these mean? we're here to help. how harry met rihanna.

royalty came face-to-face, on december 1st, 2016. >> all the way from oklahoma, we love the "today" show. ? >> mother/daughter trip from north dakota. >> we left 81 degrees to be here on the plaza. woo. ? give a little bit ? >> sisters from mississippi. >> from alabama to the plaza, merry christmas. [ cheers ] >> and good morning, everybody. it's 8:00 on "today." thursday, december 1st. beautiful day on our plaza. good morning to you. great crowd. we're so happy to have everybody here. >> yeah. >> carson's back.

>> savannah, it's throwback thursday. >> yeah. supertramp. "give a little bit." don't you love that song. i thought christmas spirit. "give a little bit." give a lot. >> great song. >> this may be the last throwback thursday for 12, 13 weeks or something like that. >> yeah. i'm going to go on my maternity leave after tomorrow. so, all of you saying, please stop standing. >> that's good. that's good. >> you're like, we've seen enough. there will the "today" show. >> i can't believe you made it this far. been watching so much. my family sees savannah, like, how much longer is she going to work? >> we don't want to see her water break. ly tai will take off. >> i would say enjoy that rest. but it's not rest. >> tomorrow, savannah's last day. we have a fitting sendoff to go

and deals in history. jill has unbeatable bargains this morning for holiday gifts for kids. nothing goes better "thursday night football" than a home cooked meal. with recipes you can try tonight. >> let's get to the news. we begin with the devastating tornadoes that ripped through the south. i'm jacob rascon in rosalie in alabama. you're lookingt only shopping center. the national weather service tells us it was an ef-2 tornado that ripped through this area. it was on the ground for less than two minutes. and only 1.7 miles. but dozens of families will be digging through the rubble. and other people did not survive. the national weather service says that was 1 of 34 tornadoes that touched down in 7 different states. that same storm system will continue to move on. but the tornado threat, so far,

declared a state of emergency and will be among those out today to survey the damage. for more on weather in the south, we go to gatlinburg, tennessee and nbc's kerry sanders. a good portion of gatlinburg remains in evacuation zone and for good reason. just before sun rise, you see another fire sparked here. this is a home that burned to the ground. the fire department was on the scene quickly. but nonetheless, the threat now, that stands at least seven. at least six people are missing. savann savannah? >> kerry, thank you so much. a jury in charleston, south carolina, are beginning a second day of deliberation in the murder trial of michael sleigher. he received that in hindsight, he would not have chased walter

for about an hour before going home for the night. today, a rescue for an ailing visitor at the south pole. the patient, 86-year-old buzz aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon in 1969. the national science foundation set up a medical evacuation flight. aldrin was said to be in stable condition when he was transferred by the medical team. now, a big honor for our colleague, maria shriver, she was indu i hall of fame. jerry brown said the work of california's former first lady and other inductees enriched the lives of others and is an inspiration of all californians. other inductees, harrison ford, george takei and tony gwynn. >> pretty good company there. up next, we'll do trending, major and lively plumbing surprise. wait until you see what was clogging up that toilet. there's a tease for you.

popping as we understand the secret language of teens. >> we'll be poppin'. and throwback toys on a

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this is the trend. you remember this, right? >> carson back at the table. he is the hardest working man this time of year. finally, we get to see how he lives. not carson daly. we don't want to know that. we're talking santa claus. zillow posting santa's home on the north pole. looks like santa is doing okay. he has a three-bedroom, two-bath

santa is doing well. just to be clear. zillow says the 19th century home is not on the market. >> wow. >> he doesn't have a sleigh bed. >> wonder if the elves live that good. >> you don't want to see the elves' place. >> exactly. here's a house that maybe should be on zillow. why? look at what the home owners found in their toilet. >> this is the worst. >> oh, yeah. >> this is what nightmares are made of. >> snake. one of the homeowners went to the bathroom in the morning. this is what they found. we'll tell you. anybody who has bathroom stories, this beats it. >> this is a real thing. >> happened in south africa. the homeowners were shocked, needless to say. called the snake catcher. he couldn't get it. why? >> he's got him. >> it slips and goes down the drain. >> he slithers back down. yes. >> oh. oh. >> has not. >> the guy brings in that tiny

eight-footer. >> he slithers back down. he hasn't been spotted since. and the ward is, the homeowners have been holding it ever since. >> it's like an apartment complex. nobody is going to the bathroom. >> like whack-a-snake. >> i would be out of there so fast. >> i would be gone. >> back-to-back. >> would you sit down? >> of course not. eight feet and poisonous. that's enough to move for me. out. >> they have cameras in the pipes. residents want to put boiling and acid down. >> they don't want him to do that. they killed 22 out houses. police department in canada has come up with an unusual way to punish drunk drivers. a post on facebook says, offenders will be charged. but they will be hauled in a police cruiser and forced to listen to this.

>> forever the canadian punch line. yet, they are the punchline forever. >> are they really? >> yeah. it's a thing. >> they're a never-ending target of abuse, from their fellow canadians. the department is trying a new approach to communicate the age-old message. i never understood the nickelback thing. >> they had v a string of hits that soundo that in music. ? never want to give you up ? >> they haven't earned that scorn. >> that's a hilarious thing. we're going to listen to nickelback. >> jack it up. we got pop stars. >> we're going to have good news for kanye west and his family this morning. our sister network, e! is reporting that kanye is out of the hospital and back at home with his wife, kim kardashian and their kids. kanye spent a week in the hospital, after reportedly suffering from mental

he is doing better. spat spotify releasing their biggest acts of the year. and one artist crushed all others. >> right. yeah. >> drake. >> are you surprised by that? >> i'm not. but he's amazing. >> he dominated the radio. the spotify listing. he gets the most streamed track, most streamed album and artist. "one dance," the most >> 950 million streams for that song. bruno is definitely on there. >> i love bruno. >> don't put bruno in the corner. >> he's his own spotify. >> that's right. finally, rihanna, on another list on spotify. but she's also making headlines this morning for her royal run-in. rihanna hosted prince harry during his visit to her native

celebrating the nation's 50th anniversary of independence from britain. it caps harry's two-week tour of the caribbean. >> the two of them got together, the internet would explode, right? >> i think he's spoken for. >> we're not even playing a rihanna song here. right? >> i don't know what's happening with rihanna. >> ironically written by nick taylor, his ex. >> that's >> carson, we're so happy to have you back. "teens tell all." and this morning, we're tapping into that slang and what it means. >> stephanie is here with a guide that will make us feel old. >> reporter: good morning, guys. parents should watch and listen closely. but definitely don't try this at home. >> hits. >> let's dip at 8:00. >> iconic. >> girl, you're straight poppin'. >> she ratchet. >> reporter: need a translater

we found some. >> salty is a word in a you describe when someone is not in a good mood. >> down in the d.m. means when deciding when you're going to hook up. >> woke means to be alert and aware of what's happening in today's world. >> reporter: teenspeak is nothing new. every generation has its own language. just marmm morphed through the years. boss. groovy. mad. rad. the bomb. and today, it's lit. >> lit means that something was awesome. the party that i went to was so lit. >> reporter: teens use coded language as an expression of independence, a way to create an identity separate from parents. and sometimes, to keep their parents in the dark. >> netflix and chill is when you go over to your significant other's house and you guys go to watch netflix. but you don't watch netflix.

>> reporter: slang works almost like a bird call to your social group, creating an instant bond. >> straight fire means you're hot. >> suh, dude. abbreviation for what's up? >> reporter: and there's slang words for the group itself. fam is the inner circle. >> fam are the people that you ride or die with. >> if you're going down the hall, you say, what up, fam? >> reporter: not to be confused with squat, a taylor swift. >> squad goals, when your group of friends has something that everybody else admires. >> reporter: taylor swift isn't the only musician with entries in the urban direction nair. >> i slay. >> reporter: beyonce, for slay, flowless and i woke up like this. and pop culture generates slang.

>> that is so fetch. >> stop trying to make fetch happen. it's not going to happen. >> reporter: once a word goes mainstream, it's dead. yolo, short for you only live once, was popularized by drake. yolo became so overused, drake apologized on "snl." my sincerest apologies. >> reporter: bae isik and i use it to call your boyfriend or girlfriend. >> if you don't want to take the time to say baby, it saves you lot of time. >> reporter: bae went the way of yolo, once it showed up on "ellen," and tweets by burger king, sonic and olive garden, bae was used. take on fleek, which started

and in a matter of months, taco bell and ihop for tweeting it. if you use it now, you're basic. >> it's basic to like starbucks or have uggs. you're not original. >> reporter: as a parent, you may want to be goals. but there's one surefire way to get your kid the throw some shade. that's talk like this. or worse, like seth meyers, trying to make friends. >> hey. what's that was a dab. >> the big takeaway is as a parent, you're not supposed to get it. and the painful truth is, we're kind of not cool enough. >> no. >> we're basic. >> we are basic. >> the coolest thing is to not try. let them have their words. >> remember when your parents said it and it was so cringe-worthy.

>> that's right. >> what have you got tomorrow? >> it's going to be good. we challenged a group of kids to go a full week without their cell phones to see if they could do it. >> did they survive? >> just barely. would you survive? >> i know. >> probably not. >> all right, steph. it's been fun. see you tomorrow. mr. roker, let's get the weather. >> all right. 23 skadoo. cat's pajamas. that's a seasonal weather pattern. temperatures where they should be. vegas, 60. 44 in denver. 47, st. louis. new york city, in the mid-50s. 40s by the time we get to saturday. but colder air will be coming in, by next week. look at billings by wednesday. 14, denver. oklahoma city, chill downing to 40 degrees. >> wren: we've seen some showers early this morning, but as we head into the mid-morning hours, we're looking at dry skis and even some sunshine throughout your thursday forecast.

when you factor in these winds, it will feel cooler, as well. but as you head into tonight, really we couldn't hope for a better forecast for the boston common tree lighting. temperatures in the upper 40s, breezy conditions and dry skies. to start, temperatures above our average highs this time of year. get outside and enjoy this m that's right. football night. weekend begins tonight. thursday night. football night in america. america's team, the boys, coming into u.s. bank stadium in minneapolis. cloudy and cold. it's a dome stadium. if you're tailgating, it will be 33 degrees. catch coverage of tonight's game at 7:30 eastern, right here on nbc thursday night, "football night in america." >> thank you very much, sir.

>> and we are launching our two-day toy guide. and because it's throwback thursday, we're starting with our childhood favorites. >> we have lori, a style editor for "good housekeeping." a lot of us participated in a piece for the magazine. we talked about our favorite toys as kids. and you're updating. >> i get to start. >> i do. >> snoopy was my number one. >> snoopy has never >> second was, i wanted a light bright. >> we have the old light bright. but the update is the light-up doodle art. this is today. you get this old-school etching art. you get stencils. different art. you can flip the light on. you can do six different ones. and it will light up and it changes color.

there's a lot of reasons. this is his toy because it's a wooden toy, which i love to make fun of him for. he loves this. and tell me about the update. >> what matt was saying for "good housekeeping," he loved that it occupied him for hours. really, created a lot of focus. what we wanted to do is say, matt this, is great. but we have an update. a three-dimensional update. if you pick up a perplexis. you get the little marble. and there's a 360-degree orbital path. and this is good for skill-building. critical thinking. it's good for -- does he have excellent motor skills? >> he does. my results may vary. >> don't worry. this was not a "good housekeeping" award winner. but this is fun. >> over to willie. >> that's like a cat with a ball

pure all-out physical fun. >> this was me 8 or 9 years old. professional wrestling. the rubber action figures. >> who was your favorite? >> hulk hogan. >> welcome to the world of wwe. no longer, willie geist, do you have to use what's in your head. you can get john sina, and i'm going to get the rock. >> now what happens? >> you can do different moves. >> watch out. >> a little action. >> i watched wwe and didn't see that. >> these are $26 at toys "r" us. if you do, because you're so creative. if you want to use your own catchphrases. i'm going to hand over this microphone to you. press this button and talk and announce. >> can you hear that?

there's arena sounds. catchphrases. and you can do your own. >> i'll be busy all weekend. >> go to your room. >> mr. roker, i feel aligned with you on this. this was my favorite toy. why did you love the viewmaster? >> it took you to places you couldn't go. you could look at your favorite tv shows or movies. and it was in 3d. >> what's so cool, is mattel has updated for the virtual reality set. you have the viewmaster. and use this lever here. just like the old viewmaster. and start looking around. what al is looking at is a virtual reality of safari of -- there's wild life. there's rain forests. and it's educational. it blends the technological and the education. you need a smartphone. that's for $40 and mattel. >> you have 30.

>> the new magic 8 ball. >> are the raiders going to be 10-2 after this weekend? >> of course. >> yes. you can get this on amazon under $9. >> suck it, buffalo. >> why did you love these? >> i'm a doll person. i have my original cabbage patches at home. >> now, we have american girl welly wishers. there's $16, which is a lower they embody social and environmental girls, making friends. >> activist dolls. >> hey, girl. >> hey, hoda. >> i loved the etch-a-sketch. >> here we have, your picture. my first sand scribbler, from crayola. that's $19. you attach it to the magnet.

>> oh. >> have a seat. >> that never happened. >> if you can't make ? with simply right checking from santander bank, just make one deposit, withdrawal, transfer, or payment each month to waive the monthly fee. and there's no minimum balance. you're alright with simply right checking from santander bank.

>> this is 7news now. >> sarah: good morning, everyone. it's 8:27. let's send it over the wren clair with a check on your forecast. >> wren: we're seeing that sunshine. it will stick around all day long. our main concern moving forward is things feel a bit cool. we're dealing with very mild temperatures. for the first day of meteorological winter here. this area of low pressure, this frontal system continues to move further northward. as it does, so we start the see that cloud cover scoot on out of here. and we see those showers pass on out of here, as well. a little soggy start for those of us that got up really early, but we're drying out nicely, seeing plenty of sunshine today. >> wren: now to our top stories. office centers brockton are searching for two people who led

crashed into a cruiser. an officer suffered minor injuries. investigators say the driver and passenger then ran away. the police chief in dighton is off the job at an emergency meeting yesterday, selectmen voted to suspend chief anton roderick without pay indefinitely. officials say he used the department clothing allowance to buy women's clothing for his girlfriend. crews have some lanes open in chinatown this morning after a pipe burst, caused a water main break on milan street. the water main break led the fires in some man worked to stop that leak. several businesses had to be evacuated because of carbon monoxide concerns. "today in new england" returns at 9:00.

? good morning, everybody. that's a cute sight. december 1st. really getting in the spirit. it's thursday. and look who we have there, top chef, annual toy drive. this starts today. we hope you bring an unwrapped toy to the plaza. look at studio 1a. can you tell these two, mother and son. that's elizabeth hurley and her son. and we're going to catch up with them and find out what it's like to work with your mother on "the

we're back with "steals & deals." jill has a look at the gifts for the kids in your life. first, al has weather. mr. roker. drive for good is by our sponsor, mazda. >>burg last night's tree lighting, i thought it neat -- a founder of a nonprofit in chicago. winning $30,000 for his organization, as part of mazda's drive for good campaign. jamal, good morning. it's good to be drier, isn't it? >> it is. feels good. thanks for having me today. >> tell us about the organization. >> you bike to work every day. but a lot of chicago teenagers have never been downtown or seen lake michigan. their world view is shaped by a few blocks. that reality is tragic. when you ask them what they want

basketball player. we go to field trips. go to nbc. to gatorade. we expand their world view. >> what will be award mean for your organization? >> we get to help more people in chicago. we want to serve six schools next year. >> what can kpeople do? >> they can first i bbuy a hood. you can represent your block thank you so much. >> thank you. >> all right. let's check your weather quickly. show you what we got going on as far as today's concerned. not a bad day in chicago. 42 degrees and some clouds. snow, back through the plains and developing santa ana winds out west in the southern california area. >> wren: we've seen some showers early this morning, but as we head into the mid-morning hours, we're looking at dry skis and even some sunshine throughout your thursday

in the mid to upper 50s, but when you factor in these winds, it will feel cooler, as well. but as you head into tonight, really we couldn't hope for a better forecast for the boston common tree lighting. temperatures in the upper 40s, breezy conditions and dry skies. to start, temperatures above our average highs this time of year. get outside and enjoy this m >> don't forget. go to the cable. ladies? >> thank you so much. a brand-new season of "the royals" begins sunday night. programses to be a battle royale for control of the crown. >> and elizabeth's son is joining the cast for his television acting debut. take a look. >> i am the crown prince of liechtenstein. he needs to bow down to the

nobody. >> i understand. >> elizabeth and damien, good morning. this is so exciting. you work together in the sense that it's on the show. but you play a character on a tv show. it's a show within a show. did mom give you advice? >> she said, learn your lines and don't be annoying. >> were you nervous? when you have your son there, it's one thing for you to take care of business. but it's another thing to watch him in action. describe what it was like to see your son do his thing? >> on the first show of "the royals" it was comfortable. they promised him a part one day. and this day came. we looked at each other. and he said, mom, what can i can't do it? and the script came. it was a german accent. a difficult scene.

good. i didn't shoot. i was the chaperon. i was his servant. handing him water. he didn't need help. >> no tips? >> he didn't need any. >> don't get on their nerves. >> he's been watching the best forever. >> damian, do you have the bug? >> it was good. i am hooked on it. >> it's fun to look at your instagram. we love you. when you're writing about your son, it's a whole other side of you. it seems like you're me your own. >> it's true, isn't it? it's handling on the baton. as we say. i'm interested for him. he's at school, full-time school, i might add. this is in the vacations. he's a baby still. >> i'm 14. >> he likes it a lot. we'll see what happens. >> he's like, don't call me a baby on national tv. >> he's big and strong. >> exactly. a television star. you have to forgive us.

where do we find helena in this season? >> by the end of season two, we know who killed the king, her husband. that's put to rest. at beginning of season one, it was a state funeral for the prince of wales, my favorite and eldest son. at the end of season two, it's teased that perhaps he's alive after all. and we think he's going to come back. prince robert, my favorite son. if he did come back, it will change everything. shake everything up. and he was my favorite. >> were talking about, prince hear and his girlfriend. >> oh. >> do we picture them as a real couple? >> yes. >> do you want -- >> tell us what you think. >> i've met her. she's enchanting. and to have somebody -- i want her to marry into the real royal family. to have someone that's talented, successful, a woman of her own, gorgeous and american is what the royal family needs. and i'm behind it. >> he's been on our show a lot.

>> absolutely gorgeous, yeah. >> good luck. >> i can't stop looking at the tv because you were literally a mini-me. it's happening in front of us. good luck. thanks again. season three of "the royals" begins sunday night on our sister network, e! up next, jill has a kids' edition of "steals & deals." and we'll help you have a stress-free holiday. stress-free holiday. >> thank you.agine a world where holidays are about joy again. adness. at t.j. maxx, marshalls and homegoods, we've imagined the holidays this way for decades. it's why we never have crazy sales. never make you clip coupons. and always have amazing prices on popular brands and thoughtful gifts. it's time to bring back the holidays

[ cheers and applause ] it's day four of our stress-free holiday "steals and deals." we covered everybody on the list. we need to get the kids in here. >> today, contributor jill martin is back with more bargains this morning. good morning. >> we had girls. we have guys. tomorrow, an hour. this is "steals and deals" week.

an hour. we have world tech toys and flying figures. the retail is $70.99. >> little drones? >> yeah. they fly right out of the box. no assembly require. it's ages 8 and up. and i'd love for an adult to be around because we were testing them. and they fly fast. i want to put that out there. all of your favorite superheros, retails $70.99. the deal is >> that's going to fly off of the shelves. >> literally. >> these are headphones. $149.99. you go on today.com to see two different choices. one has a microphone in it. one has wireless bluetooth streaming. they're superchic and fun.

70% off. >> what did you say? >> you almost need them with all of the drilling going on. >> this is good. >> i love this. i know what you're going to say after i tell you. there's ten in a set. the random house li'l golden book sets. 16 iconic sets. ten books in each set. if you have ten little friends. >> you can split them up. ten gifts. >> that's how my mom thinks. >> all of t here. great variety. the retail $43.90, the deal, $15. up to 70% off. >> these haven't changed over the years. i love these. >> and it's nice to have a real book. i read real books, as opposed to everybody on their ipad. this is called little giraffe stuffed animal and blanket set. the retail is $94. this is the lion and the

you get the blanket and the bear. the retail, $94. $28, 70% off. >> these are cute. look at the models. >> this is cole, isla and mila. say hello. >> hi, guys. >> they're our models this morning. the retail is $80. a three-piece set. the hat, the scarf and the gloves. comes in six the retail $80. the deal, $24. 70% off. and i want to stress -- >> sizing. >> oh, to check out the sizing. got it. >> looking at these for an adult. they are cool. very cool. >> there's a "w." >> let's recap. the flying figures from world tech toys. the headphones from cadin.

and winter accessories from robin rose. >> get there in a hurry at today.com. you don't want to miss tomorrow. jill, are you ready? >> a whole hour. >> an entire hour of "steals & deals" ever. you can get all of your christmas shopping done. >> thank you to our models. you guys were great.

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all right. we're back at 8:45 this morning on "today." foot loves foot ball. >> food loves football. >> we love football. tonight's game, the cowboys and the vikings. excited for this game. padma lakshmi, we know her, as

kicking off the 14th season tonight. >> can you believe it? >> why in charleston. >> we wanted to be in the south. it's having a culinary renaissance. it was steeped in history. i ate my way through the city. >> what are we making this morning? >> we are changing chili verde, with tomatillos. a mexican husk tomato. here's what you need for the dish want. avocado, cilantro, green chile, garlic. that will whiz up. you can use the salsa on its own as a green dipping sauce. >> i better test that right now. >> i love the salsa verde. the rojo is good, too.

gives it a depth. i know from asian culture. all these liquids, lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar. >> where did you put the sesame seeds? >> i put them in here and i'll put them in there. once the onions get glassy, you put the ground park in there. as soon as the ground pork loses its pinkness, you add a shot of the agave flavor will come out and give it subtle flavor. if you have any -- if you're blocked about using alcohol, don't use alcohol. we're going to put water in here and add the salsa. and the only spices that i put in here when the meat was cooking, sesame seeds, red chili flakes, and mexican oregano. you want to make double of the sauce. it comes in handy for so many recipes. >> i put it on eggs.

and this recipe is much better the next day. if you're going to go into labor soon, make your husband make this so it's ready. you can freeze it. >> i will. >> once this cooks down, a lot of people will use canned beans, which is fine. canned beans tend to be softer. add them towards the end of the half hour. >> our tasters are downstairs. how did you like the tomatilla salsa? >> it's >> it will cook down. and it will look like this. >> beautiful. >> that's a chili verde. >> it's beautiful like a fall night. it's great for a game day. everyone can sit around the tv with some bowls. i'm going to dress it. you want to squeeze a little bit of lime juice. cilantro. we had this for dinner last night, actually. >> i'm going to have it for lunch today. a little secret. we're going to wrap this up. >> a little cheese on top. >> try it.

you a spoon, carson. i will give your a spoon. i have another tasting portion here. >> guys, downstairs, talk to us. >> it's amazing. >> licking the bowl already. >> outstanding. really good. >> if you want to do -- you can make this vegetarian. all you have to do is swap the meet for beans. you can use any beans. pinto beans or add the same weight in meat in beans. >> i feel like it's he >> not that heavy. we keep this around all the time because it comes in handy. >> does it freeze well? >> it freezes beautifully. and the seeds, i put some in here when i was cooking the meat to toast the seeds with the meat. and it gives you a nutty flavor. i rediscovered sesame street -- sesame seeds -- i rediscovered sesame seeds in charleston

it has so much to do with that culture. and so, it adds a richness. shawn brock, who is a big chef in charleston, makes hot sauce with sesame seeds. it tasted like an indian chutney. it brought back an old ingredient from my childhood. and it's so southern. >> i taste a lot of this. the mexican oregano. >> and mexican oregano is different. >> can >> i learned about this when i was researching my book, the encyclopedia of spices. if you don't get mexican oregano. use regular oregano, it will be fine in this dish. >> this is delicious, padma. >> they're making it in the commissary. >> you saw me make it in front of you. >> thank you so much. and "top chef" season premiere.

find the recipe at today.com/food. >> the vikings hosting the cowboys, can coverage at 7:30 eastern on nbc. and we mentioned "top chef's" season premiere on bravo. that's tonight. congrats to our friends on "top chef" season 14 tonight. >> that's crazy. >> happy birthday. >> we'll be back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc.

welcome back. time to hand it over to al roker for today's birthday. >> let's see who is celebrating on the smucker's jar. first up, a happy 102 birthday to mildred southwood of niagara falls. slowly, i turn. she is always enjoying a good book. and fishing trips. mary helen kraft, enjoying 100 years. the former restaurant owner, from indianapolis, volunteering with the salvation army for 65 years. happy 100th birthday to ann carroll. this tennis fan is from jacksonville, florida. she knits over 100 carves every year for patients in the hospital. how nice is that? evelyn jones of jackson, michigan. says the secret to her longevity is smucker's strawberry jam on toast. and grace jones of fair field

years old. over 65 years, she also volunteering with her local hospital. that's terrific. happy 100th birthday to allene ferguson crockett. 105 now. this proud grandma from mississippi. six grandkids, nine great grandkids and two great, great grandkids. that's amazing. if you know somebody that's celebrating their 100th birthday. go don't forget a photo. we have "the walking dead" star.

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>> breaking news. tragedy out west a police officer shot and killed the suspect is dead after an hour's

her own and her own son is charged with the crime. dangerous drive on the rhode island road ends in a serious crash. the alarming video that was streamed live job line. high-tech thieves stealing your credit card information while you fill up at the pump. hanks investigates their spending sprees >> we seen showers early this morning. what can you expect tore rest of the work week. details ahead. hopefully lots of sunshine. all those stories and so got any good gift ideas? ? verizon prepaid is gonna be my gift ? ? cash stays in your pocket ? ? it's got hd streaming others are too stingy... ? (deep voice) with verizon you look awesome. ? you wanted more data and look what santa gave ya ? ? verizon keeps you going with that always-on data ? ? 4g lte that's a lotta speed ? ? think about it n' you'll say... ? (deep voice) "that's the deal of my dreams." with verizon you look awesome. (vo) give verizon prepaid with always-on data on the best network

>> breaking news a police officer shotted and killed. the suspect is now dead after hours long stand off in washington state. gas set to start flowing today through a controversial pipeline in west rocksbury despite months of protest. trouble on the track. an mbta commuter trail and the car colliding d morning commute. >> good thursday morning everybody. thanks for joining us. i'm sarah french. we will have those stories and more in a few moments. it's a good thursday morning the rain plaguing us the last couple of day is moving out. >> let's send it over to ren claire with more on that. >> it was good to see the rain. it wasn't such a plague. we had -- we do have a drought. and that helped chip away at it. still significant drought out